1. WHAT ARE COOKIES?
Cookies are small text files or similar data files that may be stored on your computer, smartphone, tablet or other device when you visit a website.
Cookies may allow a website to:
a) function correctly;
b) remember preferences;
c) maintain sessions;
d) understand how visitors use the website;
e) measure website performance;
f) improve services;
g) support security functions; and
h) where consent has been given, support advertising or marketing activities.
Cookies may be set directly by HWT or by third-party service providers whose technologies are integrated into the website.
2. FIRST-PARTY AND THIRD-PARTY COOKIES
2.1 First-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set directly by the HWT website.
They may be used for purposes such as:
a) essential website functionality;
b) security;
c) remembering cookie preferences;
d) maintaining user sessions; or
e) measuring website usage where applicable.
2.2 Third-Party Cookies
Third-party cookies may be set by external service providers whose technologies or content are integrated into the HWT website.
Depending on the services used by HWT, such providers may include analytics, mapping, video, payment, social-media, advertising or technology providers.
Third-party providers may process information according to their own privacy and cookie policies.
HWT does not control the independent privacy practices of third-party providers.
3. SESSION AND PERSISTENT COOKIES
Cookies may be either session cookies or persistent cookies.
3.1 Session Cookies
Session cookies generally remain active only while your browser session is open and are removed when the browser is closed.
They may be used to support temporary website functionality.
3.2 Persistent Cookies
Persistent cookies remain stored on your device for a specified period or until they are manually deleted.
They may be used to remember preferences, recognise returning browsers or support permitted analytics and other functionality.
4. CATEGORIES OF COOKIES WE MAY USE
HWT may use the following categories of cookies and similar technologies.
4.1 STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES
Strictly Necessary Cookies are required for the website or a service specifically requested by the visitor to function properly.
These may include cookies used for:
a) website security;
b) network management;
c) session management;
d) fraud prevention;
e) cookie-consent preferences;
f) account authentication, where applicable;
g) shopping or payment functionality, where applicable; and
h) other essential technical functions.
Because these cookies are necessary for the operation of the website or requested service, they may be used without optional cookie consent where permitted by applicable law.
Blocking these cookies through browser settings may prevent parts of the website from functioning correctly.
4.2 FUNCTIONAL COOKIES
Functional Cookies allow the website to remember choices or provide enhanced functionality.
They may be used to remember information such as:
a) language preferences;
b) display preferences;
c) location or region settings;
d) previously selected filters;
e) map preferences; or
f) other user-selected settings.
Where applicable law requires consent for such cookies, they will not be activated until consent has been provided.
4.4 MARKETING AND ADVERTISING COOKIES
Where HWT uses advertising or marketing technologies, Marketing Cookies may be used to:
a) measure advertising campaigns;
b) understand whether visitors arrive from particular campaigns;
c) measure conversions or referral activity;
d) limit repeated advertising;
e) build aggregated campaign audiences;
f) support remarketing or similar advertising functionality; or
g) measure interaction with HWT promotional content.
Such cookies may be provided by third-party advertising or social-media platforms.
Marketing and Advertising Cookies will only be used where the legally required consent has been provided.
4.5 SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMBEDDED CONTENT
HWT may incorporate content or functionality from third-party providers, such as:
a) social-media platforms;
b) video platforms;
c) interactive maps;
d) external booking systems; or
e) other embedded services.
When such content is activated, the relevant third party may place cookies or use similar technologies.
Where required by applicable law, third-party content capable of setting non-essential cookies should remain inactive until the visitor has provided the appropriate consent.
The European Commission similarly notes that embedded third-party services may set their own cookies and treats those providers separately from cookies controlled directly by the website operator.
5. DIRECT BOOKING LINKS AND CLICK MEASUREMENT
One of the functions of HWT is to connect travellers with participating hospitality Properties.
HWT may therefore measure interactions with Property profiles and outbound links, including clicks on links directing users to:
a) a Property’s official website;
b) a Property’s booking engine;
c) an enquiry page; or
d) another authorised booking destination.
Depending on the technology used, such measurement may involve cookies, local storage or similar technologies.
Where such technologies are not strictly necessary and require consent under applicable law, they will only be activated after the required consent has been obtained.
An outbound click recorded by HWT does not necessarily mean that a reservation was completed.
6. COOKIE CONSENT
When you first visit the HWT website, you may be presented with a cookie consent interface allowing you to make choices regarding non-essential cookies.
Depending on the cookies in use, you may be able to:
a) accept all optional cookies;
b) reject optional cookies;
c) select individual categories; or
d) change your preferences later.
HWT does not treat continued browsing, scrolling or mere use of the website as consent to optional cookies where affirmative consent is legally required.
Consent must represent a genuine choice. EDPB guidance specifically states that actions such as merely scrolling through a page are not sufficient affirmative consent, and consent mechanisms should not force users into accepting non-essential tracking merely to access ordinary site content.
7. WITHDRAWING OR CHANGING CONSENT
Where cookie processing is based on consent, you may withdraw or modify your consent at any time.
You may do this through the Cookie Settings or equivalent consent-management function available on the HWT website.
Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.
Changing or withdrawing consent may affect certain optional website features.
8. REJECTING OPTIONAL COOKIES
Visitors must be able to reject non-essential cookies without losing access to the basic public content of the website, except where a particular optional third-party service cannot technically function without its relevant cookies.
Rejecting optional cookies should not prevent ordinary access to HWT Property discovery pages merely because the visitor does not consent to analytics or advertising technologies.
9. COOKIE PREFERENCE RECORD
HWT may use a Strictly Necessary Cookie or similar technical mechanism to remember whether you have:
a) accepted optional cookies;
b) rejected optional cookies; or
c) selected particular cookie categories.
This prevents the website from repeatedly requesting the same preference during every page visit.
The preference may be stored for a reasonable period before HWT asks you to confirm your choice again.
Consent-preference cookies are commonly treated as operational or essential cookies because they are required to remember the user’s cookie choice.
10. SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES
In addition to traditional cookies, HWT may use comparable technologies where applicable, including:
a) browser local storage;
b) session storage;
c) pixels;
d) tags;
e) software development kit functionality;
f) server-side measurement;
g) unique technical identifiers; or
h) comparable technologies.
Where these technologies store or access information on a user’s device or involve personal-data processing, they will be treated in accordance with applicable privacy and electronic communications law.
References to “cookies” in this Policy therefore include comparable technologies where appropriate.
11. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES
Depending on the functionality implemented on hotelswetrust.com, HWT may use third-party providers for purposes such as:
a) website analytics;
b) hosting and security;
c) content delivery;
d) interactive maps;
e) embedded media;
f) online payments;
g) email communications;
h) social-media integration;
i) advertising; or
j) technical infrastructure.
Third-party services may change their technologies, cookie names, retention periods and privacy practices independently.
HWT will therefore maintain or update its cookie-management system and cookie information where reasonably necessary to reflect the technologies actually used.
12. CURRENT COOKIE LIST
This list reflects the cookie groups and browser-storage technologies verified on hotelswetrust.com on 8 September 2026. Items are created only when the relevant feature is used.
| Consent preferences | HOTELS WE TRUST (first party) | Stores the visitor’s cookie-category choices and consent version. | Strictly Necessary | 180 days |
| Wishlist preferences | HOTELS WE TRUST (first party) | Saves selected Properties, maintains the Wishlist count and synchronises Wishlist content when the visitor uses this feature. | Strictly Necessary when the visitor uses Wishlist | Persistent until cleared by the visitor or the applicable site-defined expiry |
| Secure session and account access | HOTELS WE TRUST (first party) | Checks cookie support, authenticates signed-in Property owners and protects account sessions. | Strictly Necessary for signed-in users | Browser session; normally up to 2 days, or up to 14 days when “Remember Me” is selected |
| Interface and session preferences | HOTELS WE TRUST (first party) | Supports session-based site functions, remembers permitted interface preferences and, where enabled, recently viewed Properties or dismissed notices. | Strictly Necessary or Functional, depending on the feature used | Browser session; signed-in interface preferences may remain for up to 1 year |
| Session attribution | HOTELS WE TRUST (first party) | Measures session attribution for performance reporting. These technologies remain blocked until Analytics consent is given. | Analytics and Performance | One session item: 30 minutes; remaining attribution items: browser session |
The public-site audit found no Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel or advertising-network script active on the audited pages. A Hostinger Reach marketing integration is configured for HWT but remains blocked until Marketing consent is granted. Because no stable cookie identifier or retention period was verified for that integration during the audit, HWT does not publish unverified details.
The interactive Map retrieves map tiles from OpenStreetMap infrastructure. The audited Map page did not expose an OpenStreetMap cookie, but a visitor’s browser necessarily connects to the tile provider to display the map.
HWT will review this table whenever analytics, advertising, embedded media, payment, newsletter or other third-party technologies are added, removed or materially changed.
13. BROWSER SETTINGS
Most browsers allow users to control cookies through browser settings.
Depending on the browser, you may be able to:
a) view stored cookies;
b) delete individual cookies;
c) delete all cookies;
d) block third-party cookies;
e) block all cookies;
f) limit tracking; or
g) receive notifications when cookies are being set.
Blocking all cookies may interfere with functionality that depends on Strictly Necessary Cookies.
Browser-level cookie controls operate independently from HWT’s cookie-consent interface.
14. PERSONAL DATA AND COOKIES
Some information collected through cookies or similar technologies may constitute personal data under applicable law.
Where personal data are processed, HWT processes such information in accordance with the HOTELS WE TRUST Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection legislation, including the GDPR where applicable.
The Privacy Policy should provide further information concerning:
a) the identity of the controller;
b) purposes of processing;
c) legal bases;
d) recipients;
e) international transfers where applicable;
f) retention;
g) data-subject rights; and
h) contact details.
15. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
Some third-party technology providers may process data outside Latvia or outside the European Economic Area.
Where HWT transfers personal data internationally, it shall use an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism where required by applicable data-protection legislation.
Further information regarding international data transfers shall be provided in the HWT Privacy Policy where applicable.
16. RETENTION
Cookies may remain on a visitor’s device:
a) for the duration of a browser session; or
b) for a specified persistent period.
Retention periods depend on the purpose and technology involved.
HWT shall seek to avoid retaining cookie identifiers for longer than reasonably necessary for their stated purposes and shall disclose applicable durations in the cookie-management interface or cookie table where appropriate.
17. CHANGES TO THIS COOKIE POLICY
HWT may update this Cookie Policy from time to time, including where:
a) website technologies change;
b) new third-party services are introduced;
c) existing services are removed;
d) legal requirements change;
e) regulatory guidance changes; or
f) HWT changes the way cookies are used.
The current version will be published on hotelswetrust.com with an updated Effective Date where appropriate.
Material changes affecting consent-based processing may require HWT to request consent again.
